At least 28 people have been injured after a car veered into a crowd of people in the German city of Munich.
Two of the people injured are thought to be in a serious condition, with many more being treated on scene for their injuries.
Bavarian governor Markus Söder said that “it is suspected to be an attack”.
Police said the driver was “secured”. It later emerged the suspect is believed to be a 24-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker.
It comes as US Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were due to arrive in Munich later on Thursday ahead of a major security conference starting on Friday.
Follow the latest updates below...
Police say indications suspect had 'extremist background'
18:56 , Matt WattsMunich Police have released a new statement on the suspected attack in this city this morning.
It says that the Bavarian Central Office for Combating Extremism and Terrorism has taken over the investigation due to indications that the suspect has an “extremist background”.
It confirms again that an officer fired one shot at the Mini Cooper used in the incident, and its driver was subsequently secured and arrested.
The suspect was slightly injured, it adds, but did not have gunshot wounds.
The statement adds that no other people are known to have been involved.
Suspect named by local media as Farhad N
18:46 , Matt WattsGerman media outlets have named the 24-year-old suspect in today's car ramming in Munich as Farhad N.
German media, do not release suspect’s full names due to local privacy laws.
It has been reported he had had his asylum claim rejected, but no motive has been released by police.
Police search Munich apartment of 24-year-old suspect
16:35 , Sami QuadriPolice have searched the apartment of the 24-year-old suspect in Munich’s Solln district, according to the German Press Agency.
Bavarian counter-terror police take over probe amid suspected Islamist motive
16:09 , Sami QuadriBavaria's specialist counter-terrorism unit has taken control of the investigation, signalling authorities suspect an Islamist motive behind the incident.
The Central Office for Combating Extremism and Terrorism, part of Bavaria's state prosecution service, will now lead the case.
Nato secretary general expresses 'shock and sadness'
15:24 , Tamara DavisonNato secretary general Mark Rutte addressed the Munich attack today in a statement.
“Let me begin by expressing my shock and sadness at the news coming out of Munich, where many people have been injured in what appears to have been a deliberate attack,” Rutte said.
The Dutch politician, who’s been in the position since 2024, added: “We stand in solidarity with our ally, Germany, and our thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones.”
Suspect arrived to Germany as an unaccompanied minor
15:13 , Tamara DavisonGerman outlets are reporting that the 24-year-old Afghan who drove a car into crowds today had arrived in the country as an unaccompanied minor.
BILD claims that the suspect arrived in 2016 but, following a failed asylum claim, was required to leave the country in 2020.
There are various reasons why a person sometimes can’t be deported, such as if they don’t have any identification documents or are ill.
Authorities say driver's asylum application was rejected
14:30 , Tamara DavisonInterior minister Joachim Hermann has told local outlets that the 24-year-old Afghan driver had his asylum claim rejected.
However, according to local news, the asylum seeker couldn’t be deported and had been permitted to stay in Germany.
No motive for today’s incident has been released so far.
What we know so far...
14:14 , Tamara Davison- At least 28 people were injured this morning after a car ploughed into demonstrators taking part in a trade union march.
- Two of the injured are thought to be in a serious condition, and children were also among those injured.
- Authorities later revealed that a 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker was the driver of the car.
- Investigations into the driver’s motive are still ongoing.
- It’s the second time in the space of this year that an Afghan national has been behind a violent incident in Germany.
- The ‘attack’ comes just over a week before Germany heads to the polls in a snap general election, with the topic of migration dominating political discourse in recent weeks.
Interior Minister speculates that demonstration was 'a coincidence'
14:07 , Tamara DavisonBarvaria’s Interior Minister, Joachim Herrmann, suggested that today’s target was actually a ‘coincidence’.
However, the investigations into a motive are ongoing.
Herrmann said: "At the moment, we are actually assuming that the target group here, that the victims from the ranks of this Verdi demonstration, were more of a coincidence."
He added: "But of course that also has to be investigated."
Muslims in Munich condemn today's violence
13:59 , Tamara DavisonImam Benjamin Idriz, Chairman of the Munich Forum for Islam, said, according to a local outlet: "Our thoughts are with the injured, their families and everyone affected by this tragedy."
"We condemn any kind of violence in the strongest possible terms - it has no place in our society."
Idriz added: "In difficult times, we come together even more closely."
People ran for shelter, says witness
13:50Three university students have described people sprinting for cover as the suspected attack unfolded.
They came outside from a coffee shop, they told the BBC, when they heard shouting.
They told the broadcaster were confronted with a "distressing" scene and saw "lots of people running for shelter".
One student, who didn’t wanted to give her name, says "it’s obviously very unsettling. I can’t concentrate on anything else."
Perpetrator must be punished and leave the country, Scholz says
13:18 , Matt WattsGerman Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called this morning's car-ramming incident a "terrible attack".
He said the suspect, if guilty, “cannot assume that they will be able to remain here".
They "must be punished and must leave the country", he added.
Deputy police chief Christian Huber has said the suspect is a 24-year-old Afghan national on asylum status.
"The government will be starting flights back to Afghanistan despite the lack of diplomatic ties," Scholz added.
"And although this is complicated because you can't fly them there directly, this is something that we will continue to do, not just as a one-off, but as a continuous thing."
National elections take place this month in Germany,with immigration a major issue and far-right party AfD doing well in polls.
Verdi representative expresses "shock"
12:55 , Tamara DavisonClaudia Weber, the Munich Verdi managing director, told BILD that she was “shocked.”
Speaking to the outlet, Weber said: "It's all so unbelievable. We are totally shocked and are incredibly afraid for our colleagues who were part of the demonstration. We heard that the car drove straight into the demonstration on purpose. Hopefully there will be no deaths."
Minister-President of Bavaria thanks emergency services and calls for change in Germany
12:46 , Tamara DavisonMarkus Söder, Minister-President of Bavaria, has shared a statement on social media alongside images of the scene.
He said: “It is simply terrible and hurts so much. A serious attack occurred in #München. An Afghan citizen drove a car into a crowd and injured many people, some very seriously. We feel for all the victims and pray for the injured and all their families.”
Es ist einfach furchtbar und schmerzt so sehr. In #München hat sich ein schwerer Anschlag ereignet. Ein afghanischer Staatsbürger fuhr mit einem Auto in eine Menschenmenge und verletzte viele Menschen teils sehr schwer. Wir fühlen mit allen Opfern und beten für die Verletzten und… pic.twitter.com/G19cnFMwqk
— Markus Söder (@Markus_Soeder) February 13, 2025
Here's a statement from police spokesperson Christian Huber
12:40 , Tamara DavisonChristian Huber explained that a police car was travelling with the rally.
He said: "A vehicle approached and came up behind the police vehicle. It then moved to overtake, accelerated and reached the end of the rally...
"One shot was fired at the vehicle. The attacker was arrested. We currently estimate that we have at least 28 people injured, some seriously.
"The exact number has not yet been determined. As regards the attacker, what we can say is that he is a 24-year-old Afghan, with asylum seeker status."
Politicians weigh in on today's 'attack'
12:33 , Tamara Davison"We react cautiously to every attack like this, but I can also tell you that our determination is growing. This is not the first case and who knows what will happen next," said Baravian politician Markus Söder.
Munich Police claim Afghan asylum seeker sped up and hit people
12:28 , Tamara DavisonPolice officers confirmed that a 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker was behind the wheel of the car.
Reports suggest that the car sped up and hit people during the Ver.di trade union demonstration.
Officers reportedly fired a gunshot at the vehicle, but it’s unclear if this injured the driver.
Munich Police confirm nationality of the driver
12:12 , Tamara DavisonMunich Police has revealed a number of details on social media about the incident.
They confirmed in a post that the driver was a 24-year-old Afghan.
“The suspect is a 24-year-old man of Afghan nationality. He drove a car into a gathering in the Seidlstrasse area from behind. According to current information, 28 people were injured, some seriously,” they said.
Germant authorities suspect it was an 'attack'
11:57 , Tamara DavisonBavarian governor Markus Söder said that “it is suspected to be an attack”.
The driver of the vehicle is currently in police custody and is thought to be of no further threat.
Number of injured grows to 28
11:48 , Tamara DavisonBILD is now reporting that 28 people were injured in the Munich incident.
At least two are in serious condition, with reports claiming that a child also had to be resuscitated at the scene.
There is still no official confirmation about whether this incident was deliberate or not.
Ver.di spokesperson confirms demonstration was cancelled
11:43 , Tamara DavisonNils Schmidbauer, a spokesman for Verdi Bayern, said, “It is possible that participants are among the injured," referring to people taking part in the union march.
"First of all, we are with the victims and their families."
The demonstration, which was meant to welcome several hundred people, was cancelled.
Investigation is ongoing
11:37 , Tamara DavisonPolice are currently investigating the scene after a Mini veered into demonstrators taking part in a union rally.
Images from Munich appear to depict belongings strewn across the main road.
Other images also appeared to show a number of injured people lying on the ground.
Munich Police confirm person secured at the scene was the driver
11:27 , Tamara DavisonMunich Police have confirmed on social media that they have the driver of the vehicle.
It appears people online were asking if there were others involved, but the police said they could not confirm this.
Wie berichtet handelt es sich bei der gesicherten Person um den Fahrer des Pkw.
— Polizei München (@PolizeiMuenchen) February 13, 2025
Es kursieren Spekulationen über weitere Beteiligte. Dies können wir nach derzeitigem Erkenntnisstand nicht bestätigen.#muc1302 pic.twitter.com/PjOu1L1bqr
What we know so far...
11:25 , Tamara DavisonA wide-scale operation is currently underway in Munich today. Here’s what we know so far:
- A silver Mini ploughed into a group of people during a trade union demonstration
- At least 20 people have been injured, two of them are in a serious condition
- Children were also among those injured in the incident
- There’s been no official statement about whether the incident was deliberate and no formal identification of the driver yet
- An investigation is underway, and people are being urged to stay away from the scene.
Speculation erupts online about incident
11:17 , Tamara DavisonNo official identification has been made of the person behind the wheel of the Mini, which hit a crowd of people today in Munich.
Although some reports claim police believe it wasn’t an accident, there’s been no formal confirmation of this either.
The incident comes ten days before a highly contentious snap election in Germany, where the far-right AfD is expected to make considerable gains.
News outlets learn that police suspect it was deliberate
11:12 , Tamara DavisonBR is reporting that police officers on site don’t believe that the incident was an accident.
No official statement has been released about the cause of the incident so far.
At least two people 'seriously injured', claim local outlets
11:09 , Tamara DavisonAt least two of the people caught up in the Munich incident are said to be ‘seriously injured’, according to BILD.
Video shows injured people on the ground
11:03 , Tamara DavisonVideos from the scene appear to show people in hi-vis jackets gathered around what looks like people lying on the ground in Munich.
Verdi Demo in München.
— AlternativeMitte (@ZamirSh11842484) February 13, 2025
Auto rast in die Demo. pic.twitter.com/cLBHaDebfi
Incident comes days before Munich Security Conference
11:02 , Tamara DavisonThe Bavarian capital will see heavy security in the coming days because the three-day Munich Security Conference, an annual gathering of international foreign and security policy officials, opens on Friday.
Children among injured, claims Munich major
10:59 , Tamara DavisonMayor Dieter Reiter said he was "deeply shocked" by the incident.
He said that children were among those injured.
Police investigate if demonstration was targeted
10:57 , Tamara DavisonPolice representatives speaking to BR reportedly said that they were looking into whether there was a link between the demonstration and the incident.
There is currently no information about whether the incident was deliberate or accidental.
Rescue helicopters attend the scene as 20 injured
10:54 , Tamara DavisonMunich Police confirmed that the number of injured has increased to 20.
They added in a statement: “We do not yet have any information about the severity of the injuries. That is why rescue helicopters, among other things, are in use.”
Munich's fire brigade urge people to stay away from the area
10:50 , Tamara DavisonMunich’s fire brigade is urging people to stay away from the area.
Local reports are suggesting that as many as 20 people may have been injured.
They said in a statement: “A major police, fire service and rescue operation is currently underway at the corner of Dachauer Strasse and Seidlstrasse. A car drove into a crowd of people, several people were injured. There is currently no further danger. Please avoid the area.”
An der Dachauer Straße Ecke Seidlstraße läuft derzeit ein größerer Polizei-, Feuerwehr- und Rettungsdiensteinsatz. Ein Pkw ist in eine Menschenmenge gefahren, mehrere verletzte Personen. Derzeit besteht keine weitere Gefahr. Bitte Bereich großräumig umfahren.#WirFürMünchen pic.twitter.com/NKHDohllGE
— Feuerwehr München (@BFMuenchen) February 13, 2025
What is Ver.di?
10:47 , Tamara DavisonReports reveal that the car drove into a crowd of people gathered for a Ver.di demonstration.
Ver.di is a German trade union that represents a number of workers and industries.
City employees that are part of the union were on strike today, asking for an 8% increase in wages.
Munich Police appeal to witnesses for information
10:36 , Tamara DavisonMunich Police are calling on people who witnessed the incident to come forward.
“We have set up a witness collection point in the Löwenbräukeller on Stiglmaierplatz. If you can provide information about the events, please contact them,” they said on social media.
Heavy police presence in Munich as operation underway
10:33 , Tamara DavisonRoads have been cordoned off, and there are lots of police officers on site in downtown Munich.
Police have said: “Please avoid the area so that the emergency services can work unhindered.”
No information has been released yet about the driver.
Eyewitnesses from demonstration recall car driving into crowd
10:28 , Tamara DavisonAn eyewitness told BR they saw the car drive into the crowd.
"I saw that a man was lying under the car. Then I tried to open the door, but it was locked," the eyewitness told the outlet.
The person then claims police arrived on site and shot through the windows.
Local reports say car sped into demonstrators
10:21 , Tamara DavisonAccording to the German outlet BILD, a car reportedly accelerated and then drove into demonstrators on Seidlstrasse.
The outlet added that it’s unclear at this point whether the incident was deliberate or accidental.
Incident reportedly took place union rally gathering
10:19 , Tamara DavisonSocial media users say the car reportedly drove into a crowd gathered for a rally organised by the trade union, Verdi.
Images from the scene featured a crowd of emergency responders surrounding a smashed up Mini.
Es gab einen Vorfall in München bei der Verdi-Kundgebung. Ein Auto fuhr in den Demozug. Es liegt ein Mensch auf der Straße und ein junger Mann wurde von der Polizei abgeführt. Menschen sitzend weinend und zitternd am Boden. Einzelheiten noch unklar. @BR24 pic.twitter.com/9N3YvxbJ2O
— Sandra Demmelhuber (@SDemmelhuber) February 13, 2025
Munich police confirm 'several people injured'
10:14 , Tamara DavisonMunich’s police force has confirmed that they are on-site, and several people have been injured.
Police also added they were able to detain the driver and did not consider him to pose any further threat.
An der Einsatzörtlichkeit ist ein Fahrzeug in eine Personengruppe gefahren.
— Polizei München (@PolizeiMuenchen) February 13, 2025
Mehrere Personen wurden hierbei verletzt.
Wir sind mit starken Kräften vor Ort. pic.twitter.com/ulAfCQ93GL
